Frustration mounts over fines for illegal rentals in Canmore

Homeowners fined $2,500 without warning for listing properties on sites like AirBnB or VRBO

Homeowners who rented residential-zoned properties on websites such as VRBO are losing appeals after being slapped with $2,500 fines without warning by the Town of Canmore. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)

Anis HeydariVideo Journalist

Anis Robert Heydari has worked in jobs ranging from cleaning up oil spills to fixing phone lines, but all those roads eventually led to being a jack-of-all-trades and CBC News reporter.

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Efforts to crack down on illegal vacation rentals in Canmore are causing tension, as homeowners facing $2,500 charges for a first offence lose appeals against stop orders and fines issued by town officials.

After running an informational campaign to educate residents about the rules around short-term rentals, such as those advertised on websites like AirBnB and VRBO, the town of Canmore started issuing fines to first-time offenders.

Those fines are now being levied without a warning or grace period after the homeowners are caught.

John Borrowman, mayor of Canmore, says heavier-handed bylaw enforcement is working when it comes to short term rentals in residential neighbourhoods. (Anis Heydari/CBC)

"I know it feels very heavy handed to the residents ... but I'm certain it's going to focus the intent of the community, of the council to maintain compliance with our existing bylaws," said Canmore Mayor John Borrowman.

'I know it feels very heavy handed... it's going to focus the intent of the community.'- Canmore Mayor John Borrowman

Regulations around where tourist rentals are allowed in Canmore have been in place for years, but were typically only enforced on a complaint basis.

"[This changed] because of the various concerns within the community... around the impact to residential neighbourhood of having visitors on a nightly basis and the erosion to our long term rental inventory," explained the Mayor.

"A little more than half [of those ticketed] became compliant right away," he added.

Three of three appeals lost so far

However, several homeowners have appealed the stop orders and associated fines. Three of those appeals have been heard so far, in front of Canmore's Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.

"All three appeals were denied. The SDAB said the application of the stop order was appropriate," said Borrowman.

However, according to the mayor, the SDAB cannot address the $2,500 fines.

"Specifically to have the fines or tags removed or reduced ... it's the court system that will address that," added the mayor.